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As the summer comes to an end it is clear to see the changes in the landscape and in particular the effect the changing light has upon colour and textures.

I have been studying the ways in which the garden has transformed itself and is now quietening down ready for the new season ahead.

As the seasons change my colour palette changes too which in turn makes me look to other materials hiding in my cupboards and drawers.

Over the years I have collected so many different materials and have either tried them once or twice before putting them away for another day and completely forgetting about them or have loved them so much that I have used them exclusively, not giving the other art materials a chance to shine. So I am going to delve deep into the studio boxes and get everything out to try again.

Having a passion for both dry mediums and paints I often combine the two and have thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected outcomes of combining and layering colour, texture and mark making. Don’t be put off from combining pastels and paints as you can fix your finished painting by using a variety of different methods. I have been using a fine spray varnish to seal the pastels and other dry mediums over paints with great results.

These two have been framed under glass after a few coats of satin spray varnish, very pleased with the finish and not something I would have pushed had I not raked about in the cupboards and found so many different materials abandoned there. Just one thing to remember is to lay oil based on top of acrylic rather than the other way around. The first is an acrylic base with soft pastels, etc over the top and the second is a combination of wet and dry soft pastel with acrylic paints and other mediums. Explore and have fun!

July brought opportunities to exhibit my work with Prudhoe Art Trail and Holmfirth Art Week. Both events were hugely successful for the hosts and artists in both regions. The work submitted by local and regional artists was of such high quality and was displayed around Prudhoe and in the Civic Hall at Holmfirth respectively.

At the end of the month I spent three fantastic days at Brancepeth Castle Summer Fair exhibiting and selling original art, prints and even cards. I also sold places for my upcoming workshops at Bensham Grove in Gateshead this Autumn. The event was so well organised and all artists and makers were looked after by the family hosting the event.

I am looking forward to returning to Brancepeth for their Christmas Fair 24th-26th November to do it all again. In the mean time I will be restocking Elements Gallery in Rothbury and submitting art works to Coquetdale Art Gallery also in Rothbury.

One area I must improve in is packing away at the end of fairs and exhibitions as even though I vow to repack everything properly when I get home I never do. Not only is everything mixed together, tape sticking to things that end up tearing, and its so easy to damage mounts and even frames as the car is stuffed tight with tables, wall grids, boxes, etc and that is before the actual paintings go in ! A few hours of sorting and cataloguing inventory await me whilst hoping there is nothing to replace or repair this time.

It is all worth the effort though as events such as these bring artists and makers together to share new work, catch up and make amazing memories. I have met some wonderful people at events, all encouraging, supporting and sharing knowledge and skills with each other. These are also the times when artists are able to engage with the public and talk about the art on sale. So many people take an interest in the process of making and creating, often sharing images of their own work and their hopes of becoming artists in the future. So I will unpack, rewrap and start all over again!

June has been a busy month, apart from art fairs and trying to keep the studio tidy between each event, I was delighted to be invited to show my work at Bellwether Gallery in Northumberland. Alice has displayed the art work beautifully alongside so many wonderful artists and creatives.

You can find Bellwether behind the Boe Rigg at Charlton, Northumberland, NE48 1PE

Whilst putting together the pieces for Bellwether I realised the my work was falling into specific themes. I have begun to paint small landscapes inspired by the hedgerows, roadsides and local walks taken so far this year focusing on the amazing flora and wilderness areas we have here in the northeast. Some are the central focus of the painting whilst others are part of a landscape or seascape. This one is a grassy sea on a local walk that I painted often before yet each time I am inspired by something different.

© Pastel by Christine Cave

Pastel is one of the most permanent art mediums in existence. Many pastels painted hundreds of years ago are still as bright and fresh as the day they were created. The artist’s pigments in pastels are the same as those used in fine oil paints. The only difference is that with pastel the pigments are not mixed with a liquid binder which may degrade over time. The pure, bright hues will not change or yellow. I predominantly use locally made Unison Pastels to create my artwork.

My art work is inspired by local landscape, the changing seasons and the time of day. I use pastels to capture the ways in which colour and light transform the everyday view into something beautiful. I am fascinated with the way in which colours sit together, pushing forward and pulling back, altering atmosphere, understanding and the way in which we view the world. 

I offer an original hand painted work of fine art, painted on location and in my studio using the best archival materials for its creation and your enjoyment.

Pastel

Pastel is a beautiful medium with vibrant colours that can last more than a lifetime, but it is particularly important to handle and frame pastel paintings with extra care. Before you open your new unframed pastel art work, please read the guidelines below to make sure you keep it in its original condition.

Your pastel painting may shed a few particles of pigment when new. This is normal and will not damage the image. The surface will become more solid with time and shedding will stop. Please do not attempt to rub or brush away fallen particles, as you may mar the surface of your painting. Keep your unframed painting flat, face up, in its original archival package until you take it to your framer. This keeps the piece safe from dust, hairs, and smudges until it can be properly protected with a frame. If you wish to remove painting please cut the archival cellophane away from the sides and pull away from the painting surface. do not drag or touch surface.

Handle around the edges only. Pastel is a delicate medium and while fixative may have been used at some point in the creation of the piece, it is still very capable of smudging when touched. This means that colour and details can be lost and paintings can be ruined if not handled properly. Your pastel painting has edges that do not have pastel on them. This is easy to tell if there is paper of a different colour as there will be a border or pencil mark where the edge of the piece falls. Please always handle your piece by the edges and avoid touching the pastel itself.

Framing

Ensure your framer is very comfortable framing pastel paintings and request that they do not spray additional fixative on the artwork.

All frames must use real glass, not acrylic or plexiglass as pastel particles can come off of the paper if there is any type of static, therefore it is very important to use real glass in front of a pastel painting.

Your pastel painting needs to be framed away from the glass. When speaking with your framer, make sure they will frame with either a mat/mount or with a spacer/double mount so the pastel painting and paper will not be directly against the glass. An experienced framer should be able to provide you with a variety of options to keep your new pastel artwork in good condition over the years. If you are moving or traveling with your artwork, keep it framed and store it face up for the drive. 

Having spent a glorious week in Paris I thought I would share a few snaps of the amazing Charvin Art shop window.

You can find this tiny shop at 490 AV De L Arlesienne, 83210, Sollies-Pont, Paris

It is well worth a visit and full of all mediums, brushes and sketchbooks alongside an amazing history and warm staff. As we travelled light, with only hand luggage, sadly I could only bring home a few tubes of their Acrylic paint. I already have the images in my mind and I can’t wait to paint with them.

As the Art Fair season has begun I am looking at different ways in which I can make my art work more accessible and have been working with Digitalab to create photographic prints in addition to the Giclee Prints I currently offer. These will be available as matted prints, without matt and framed upon request. Prints are available of my pastel paintings and my acrylic/ mixed media paintings. Some are also available as cards.

The popular card range has been increased this year to include new work and some well loved work that remains in demand.

I hope that you can make it to one of this year’s events, if not please take a look at my website. If you would like to discuss any of the art work or would like a commission piece please get in touch. I am happy to help you in any way I can.

As we enter Spring art fairs and events are on the horizon. I feel privileged to be part of the fantastic art fairs in the North East. I have met so many talented and lovely people who stand together to show what we do and also keep many crafts alive and thriving in the North East.

Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth, is a beautiful location for any art fair. I have the pleasure of attending two Spring art fairs there and another later in the year. The first fair is hosted by Lesley McNish of The Tin Shed. The second event is the following weekend and is hosted by Hindmarsh Hall itself with proceeds going towards the hall upkeep and the many community events provided there.

In April you will find me at Whalton Village hall for the start of a series of art fairs all hosted by The Tin Shed.

Card sets

Starting the new painting year is always exciting and a little daunting. Its not until I get back into the studio that I can relax and begin to play with the materials that have been waiting for my return.

At the end of the year with the holidays and festivities almost upon us its so easy to simply drop everything from the final art fair into the studio to deal with later however later gets pushed and pushed until its time to clamber over everything and find a space to begin sorting, clearing out and putting away the very things I will need to start the art year again.

One sorted and tidy I can hit the easel with ideas and play with images that have been sitting in my sketchbook waiting for inspiration to hit and get me into the studio. 

I started the year with a few small pieces which then translated into larger pieces such as ‘Northumberland Coast’ which can be viewed at Woodhorn Museum, Ashington until 8th May. This is the first painting of many for 2023. I look forward to sharing these with you.